Jane Eyre Critical Analysis

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In conjunction with its era, Charlotte Bronte’s masterpiece Jane Eyre was a controversial feminist novel that allowed women to have more of an influence in the literary world. Jane Eyre symbolized a new era in the history of literature. It awakened women’s awareness to be independent.
The novel was written in the early 19th century when men played a dominant role in society. Women were considered to be inferior to men. All that women were supposed to do was follow the instructions of men and be the subsidiary addition to men’s life. Four men in Jane’s life had laid oppression on her in different degrees. Jane survives the oppression and led herself constantly to her own desirable life. The heroine of the novel Jane Eyre has successfully demonstrated the image of a woman who is intelligent, independent, kind-hearted and most importantly, brave enough to say “no” to the social conventions and live up to her principle in life. The use of Bronte's writing style helps to capture the message of independence that Bronte is attempting to convey, the novel is generally educated, complex, and emotion filled. Most of her sentences contain numerous adjectives and sensual images. Her unique style may be overwhelming for some readers, but it's powerful and strong. The reader is able to identify with Jane Eyre as a character through the complex sentence structure that is filled with emotion and imagery.
I do agree with you Bella as the 19th century saw woman like Charlotte and Jane being inferior to men in every way possible. It was considered woman who made their own living as ‘un respectable ladies’ with no marriage prospects. This was the lifestyle of both Jane and Charlotte who found ‘acceptable’ work within the eyes of society in roles as ...

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...t through Janes quote, “Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts as much as their brothers do”. P125
I believe it is evident that this is a novel of Jane's independence. The written word presented in Jane Eyre romanticises the morals of Jane however she is still admirable in her attitude and demeanour. She is perfectly willing to do and be many things, as long as they don't interfere with her personal morals and standards. She is not willing to marry a man whom she does not love. She is not willing to carry on a clandestine affair with a man she loves but who is married. She is willing to forgive those who have wronged her but will not be a party to their bad behaviour. In my opinion this is a novel of a woman's independence, not a feminist dissertation.

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